The Bath of Diana

François Clouet painted The Bath of Diana around 1558, depicting the goddess bathing with her nymphs in a mythological scene that allowed for the display of elegant female nudes. Clouet served as court painter to four successive French kings and was the leading portraitist in France during the mid-16th century. This mythological painting is unusual in his oeuvre, which was dominated by portraits, and shows the influence of the School of Fontainebleau.

The painting combines French courtly elegance with Italian Mannerist sophistication in its treatment of the idealized female figures. The cool, silvery palette and smooth finish are characteristic of the French school, while the elaborate landscape setting shows Flemish influence.